Documents for Canary Customs — Full Checklist

Which documents for Canary customs? Invoice, NIF/NIE, value proof — complete B2C and C2C checklist.

For customs clearance on the Canary Islands you need different documents depending on the shipment type. Which exactly? What if a document is missing? How do you submit an invoice to customs after the fact? This guide gives you the complete document checklist for B2C (online order with invoice) and C2C (gift / private sale).

What is B2C, what is C2C?

Document requirements differ!

Documents for B2C shipments

Mandatory

  1. Seller invoice
- Original (PDF), not order confirmation - Clear goods description - Goods value in one currency - Invoice number and date
  1. NIF / NIE / CIF of recipient
- Spanish tax ID - Private: NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) - Company: CIF - Format: 1 letter + 7 digits + 1 letter
  1. Address data
- Sender: name, street, postal code, city, country - Recipient: same for Canary address
  1. Tracking number
- Carrier-unique shipment ID

Optional (sometimes requested)

Documents for C2C shipments

Mandatory

  1. Sender's value declaration
- Handwritten letter or sender's statement - Estimated market value (objective) - For gifts: "no commercial value" not enough — always state a value
  1. Statement "no invoice available"
- Tickable in the H7 form
  1. Recipient's NIF / NIE (as B2C)
  1. Address data (as B2C)
  1. Estimated value
- Example: used book from father's library → €5–15 - Example: used smartphone → €100–300

How to submit an invoice to customs

When customs asks: "Submit invoice":

Step 1: Find original invoice

Step 2: Upload via carrier portal

Step 3: Via ImportCanariasFacil

What if I have no invoice?

Customs proof — tips

A good invoice contains

A bad invoice

What if documents are missing?

DayWhat happens
1–7Parcel at warehouse, free
8–14Storage fees apply (€5–15/day)
15–30Carrier reminders, fees rising
30+Parcel returned to sender at your cost
Fastest fix: submit missing documents within 3 working days.

Special case: used goods without invoice

For privately received used items (gift, inheritance, private sale):


Special case: multiple items in one shipment

Each position separately in the H7:


ImportCanariasFacil and documents

Our workflow helps structure the mandatory documents:

  1. Upload: invoice + optional sender email
  2. OCR: fields auto-extracted
  3. Validation: system checks all mandatory fields
  4. PDF generation: H7 form generated in Spanish
  5. Email delivery: PDF sent to your address
Document hurdle is minimal — just have the invoice, the rest is automatic.

What Import Canarias Facil does — and what you do

Import Canarias Facil is not a customs broker. We are a guided online tool that helps you fill out the H7 form (invoice OCR, validation, PDF download). We explain step by step what to do as the recipient of a parcel ≤ €150 — whether your shipment is C2C (gift from a private sender) or B2C (Amazon, AliExpress, online shops).

What we do:


What you as the parcel recipient do:

Communication with logistics companies and customs authorities stays between you and them. We do not act on your behalf.

Related articles

FAQ

What if the invoice has no NIF/NIE?
That's OK — recipient's NIF/NIE is entered separately in the H7.

Do I need an invoice for a gift?
No. Use C2C workflow, state value, tick "no invoice".

Can I submit invoice in English or German?
Yes. Customs accepts invoices in any common language. Translation happens in the H7.

What if the seller doesn't issue an invoice?
Contact online-shop customer service or use order confirmation as proof — last resort.

Is a PayPal receipt enough?
Last resort, yes. But original seller invoice preferred.

Start H7 → upload documents →

Practical example 1: Tenerife student orders a textbook

Maria, a student in La Laguna, orders a specialist book on Amazon.de for €65 (€8 shipping). She is surprised that during checkout the note "Delivery may be delayed" appears. A week later DHL emails her: "Parcel at customs, action required."

What happens in detail:


Maria has two options:

Saving: €18. For future orders she pays €8.95 per H7 — still cheaper than the carrier handling fee.

Practical example 2: Hamburg family sends a gift to grandparents on Lanzarote

Bea and Klaus from Hamburg send a box with family photos, a book and chocolate to grandma's 80th birthday — estimated total value €45. They use DHL Standard.

What happens with the shipment?


Solution: her grandson Diego (lives on Tenerife) takes over:

Lesson: even C2C shipments need an H7. With help from a digitally-savvy family member, it's manageable.

Deep-dive: How exactly is IGIC calculated?

IGIC stands for "Impuesto General Indirecto Canario" — the Canary VAT. It has multiple rates:

RateApplicationExamples
0%Basic foods, some booksBread, water, certain books
3%Reduced rateNewspapers, audiobooks, some foods
7%Standard rateMost consumer goods
9.5%Increased rateJewelry, furs
13.5%Special rateTobacco (in addition to AIEM)
20%Luxury rateVery rare, hardly used
For H7 declarations of standard goods, the 7% rate is always relevant. For book imports the sender can reduce to 3% at order time — but in practice 7% is often charged across the board.

What is the difference vs. IVA on the mainland?

IVA (Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido) is the Spanish VAT on the mainland with rates of 4%, 10% and 21%. The Canary IGIC completely replaces it.

Advantage for consumers in the Canaries: usually lower taxes than on the mainland (7% vs 21%). Disadvantage: a customs barrier that complicates online shopping from the mainland.

What is AIEM?

AIEM (Arbitrio sobre Importaciones y Entregas de Mercancías en las Islas Canarias) is a special tax on the Canaries. It protects the local industry by making imported competing products more expensive. Areas of application:

Most online orders (books, clothing, standard electronics) are AIEM-free. But anyone importing wine, spirits or tobacco should factor AIEM into the calculation.

Practical tips for regular island shoppers

If you frequently receive parcels in the Canaries:

  1. Apply for an EORI number — free, simplifies future DUA shipments
  2. Get an NIE in time — at the police or Spanish consulate
  3. Find preferred senders — some online shops ship without issues, others refuse
  4. Plan combined orders — one larger order every 2–3 months
  5. ImportCanariasFacil subscription (€48.95/month) pays off from ~6 shipments/month

What to do in disputes?

If customs rejects your declaration or charges higher rates than expected:

Frequently asked questions — extended

Are there allowances for personal shipments?
Yes. Personal shipments under €22 value are usually IGIC-free, but the customs declaration is still mandatory. That is the smallest threshold.

How do Lanzarote and Tenerife differ in customs?
Functionally identical. The main customs offices are in Las Palmas (for the eastern islands) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (for the western islands). Shipments are usually routed to the nearest customs office.

Can I have parcels sent to a friend who handles the customs declaration?
In theory yes. In practice, the NIF/NIE of the declared recipient is used. If your friend clears it, their NIE goes on the H7.

What if I live in the Canaries but have no NIE?
Then you need one before you can receive parcels from the mainland. Apply at the Spanish police (Extranjería).

Do Brexit rules apply?
Yes. Shipments from the UK have been treated as third-country imports since 2021 → DUA-required from €150, customs duties 0–17%, higher carrier fees.